Electrical switch.



No. 785,405. PATBNTED MAR. 21, 1905.A

ELECTRICAL SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED A1116. 1904.

No. 785,405. Patented March 21, 1905.

TTED STATES PATENT OEEicE.

ROBERT G. CLARK, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO U. L. LAUGHLIN, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEV YORK.

ELECTRICAL SWITCH SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 785,405, dated March 21, 1905.

Application filed April 16, 1904. Serial No. 203,498.

T (L7/Z wwm it may concern: Like parts in all the views have the same 5o Be it known that I, ROBERT G. CLARK, acitireference-figures. Zen of the United States, and a resident of Figureiisasectionalperspectiveview show- Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of ing the switch in the open position. Fig. 2 is 5 New York, have invented certain new and usean outline side elevation showing the position ful Improvements in Electrical Switches, of of the parts when the switch is closed and the 5 5 which the following is a specification. push-button or handle has been depressed till This invention relates to electrical switches the interlocking device is just on the point of of the class known to the trade as push-butreleasing the contact member and allowing 1o ton or snapswitches. The object desired the spring to open the switch. Fig. 3 is an in these switches is to provide means for outline side elevation similar to Fig. 2, show- 6o quickly and positively breaking the circuit by ing the position of the parts after the contact a simple device which is easily operated from member has been released by the interlocking the outside'of the inclosing box or case, usually mechanism and opened by the spring. by means of projecting levers or buttons,which At 1 is shown a case or box of insulating mait is only necessary to push in order to operate terial and usual form, which is provided with the switch mechanism. a suitable cover 2. Operating-buttons, as 3 In myinventionlhave made use of the usual and 4, are mounted on suitable members or form of operating-buttons and have provided links, such as 5 and 6, which are connected 2o a mechanism in which the simple pushing in to a lever, as 7, which is pivoted at 8 and of the button serves first to set a spring in a operate to set a spring, such as 9, in operaposition to quickly move the switch-blade and tive position to move a contact member, such break the circuit when an interlockingmechanas 10, which may act as a carrier or support ism, also operated by the push-button, releases for one or more contact-blades, as shown in 2 5 the blade-carrier and allows the spring to opthe drawings at 11 and 12. These blades may erate as stated and as will be more fully debe insulatedfrom the other parts of the scribed hereinafter. mechanism by any suitable means, such as a One of the features of my device is that the block of insulating material placed between blade is held in full Contact with its clips by the blade and carrying-lever, as shown, the 3o means of the interlocking device until the carrier and blades forming a contact member push-button has been depressed a piedeteras distinguished from other parts of the 8o mined amount and when released receives the mechanism. Contact-clips, as 13 and 14, profull eilect of the spring, which insures a very vided with suitable terminals for the wires, quick and positive break. I Should the button cooperate with the contact-blades to close the 3 5 be depressed only part way and the operator circuit. It will be seen that any number of remove his hand, the spring operates to return contact blades and clips may be used to meet 8 5 the parts to their original position without the requirements of the circuit in which the affecting the position of the switch-blade. This switch is to be used. The spring 9 is preferfeature prevents damage to the contacts by the ably of coil form, with projecting arms to en- 40 arcing due to the switch being partly opened. gage the operating-lever 7 on one side and the The mechanism of the switch as designed to contact member 10 on the other, the body por- 9o illustrate a preferred form and embodiment tion of the spring being located at the pivot of my invention presents a device of very few 8, which forms a convenient su pport. parts, which is capable of being easily and The operating-links 5 and 6 are preferably 4 5 cheaply manufactured, and which, furthermade of fiat material to facilitate the forming more, has several new and valuable features, 0f the projections 15 and 16, which are adapted 95 which are more fully shown and described in to engage a coperating projection 17 on an connection with the drawings accompanying arm of the contact member 10 and prevent the this specification. movement of the latter till the operating member has reached a predetermined point and forms an interlocking device. The projections 18 and 19 act as stops against which the projection 17 strikes when released by the interlocking' stops 15 and 16, thereby limiting the movement of the contact member.

The projections 2O and 21 at the lower end of the operating members 5 and 6 engage the projecting ends of the spring 9, and similar projections 22 and 23 on the contact member 10 also engage the projecting ends of the spring.

The operation of the switch will be readily seen from the drawings, which show the parts in the several positions at different periods of the movement. Starting with the switch closed, as shown in Fig. 2, the button 4, with its connecting operating-link 6, is pushed in, thereby causing the projection 21 to engage the end or' the spring 9 and move the same down to the position shown in Fig. 2, the opposite end of the spring being held from corresponding movement by the projection 22 on the contact member 10, which in turn is prevented from moving by means of the projection 17 engaging a coacting projection 15 on the operating-link 5, forming an interlocking device which holds the contact member in position till the spring has been set in operative position, as shown in Fig.v 2, when a further movement of the operating member releases the contact member, which now receives the full effect ot' the spring and quickly opens, as shown in Fig. 3. rIhe projection 19 acts as a stop to limit the movement, as shown.

To close the switch, the operation is similar to the one just described, using the corresponding button 3 instead of 4, which reverses the operation of the parts, using the corresponding stops, &c., on the opposite side of the mechanism.

A suitable support or post, such as 24, may be provided with slots or openings at the upper end thereof, forming guides, as at 25 and 26, for the operating-links 5 and 6. The parts of this mechanism may be very cheaply made from iat stock by means of suitable punchings, thus effecting a considerable saving in labor and material, and it will be noted that the parts are very few in number, the mechanism being designed so as to require a minimum number of pieces to operate the switch.

It will be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact details of construction as shown or described, as they are intended to represent a preferred form of a device and in which many changes in detail of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the scope of my invention.

What I claim isw 1. In a switch, the combination of a lineterminal, a sliding operating member, a contact member, an operating-spring, an interlocking device forming a part of said operating member to prevent the movement of said contact member until the operating member has reached a predetermined point, a stop carried by said operating member to limit the movement of said contact member, and means for setting said spring in operative position to move the contact member and close the circuit through the line-terminal.

2. In a switch, the combination of a lineterminal, an operating member, a contact member, an operating-spring, an interlocking device carried by said operating member to control the movement ot' said contact member and allow the spring to return the parts to their original position when the operating` force is removed unless the operating member be moved to a predetermined point,astop forming a part of said operating member to limit the movement of said contact member, and means for setting said spring in operative position, substantially as described.

3. In a switch, the combination of a lineterminal, a sliding operating member, an operating-spring, arocking contact member pivoted near the middle, having one or more arms acting as contact-blades and also having a third arm engaging a projecting portion of Said operating member thereby preventing the movement thereof until the operating member has reacheda predetermined point, a stop forming a part ot' said operating member to limit the movement of said contact member, a coiled spring having a projecting portion thereof engaging said contact member, and means for setting said spring in operative position to move the contact member and close the circuit through the line-terminal, substantially as described.

11. In a switch, the combination of a lineterminal, a pair of sliding operating members, a lever pivoted between and connecting said operating members, a rocking contact member pivoted concentrically with said lever, an operating-spring having the body portion loosely coiled around said pivot and having the ends thereof extending outwardly in opposite directions and adapted to alternately engage one of said operating members on one side and said contact member on the other side of the pivotal point, an interlocking projection forming a part of each of said operating members adapted to alternately engage a coacting projection on said contact member and prevent the movement thereof until one of said operating members has been depressed a predetermined amount, and a stop forming a part of each of said operating members to alternately engage said projection on the contact member and limit the movement thereof, substantially as described.

5. In a switch, the combination of a pair of line terminals, a pair of sliding operating members, a pivoted contact member, a connecting-lever concentrically pivoted with said Contact member and connecting said operating members on opposite sides of said pivot, an

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operating-spring with the body portion thereof loosely coiled around said pivot and the ends extending outwardly in opposite directions, a projection at the lower end of each of said operating members adapted to alternately engage and rotate the projecting ends of said spring, projections on opposite sides of the pivot and forming a part of said contact member adapted to alternately engage the projecting ends ot' said operating-spring, an interlocking device and a stop forming a part of each of said operating members, an arm forming a part of said contact member having a projection coacting with said interlocking de- 

